Journeys East: A Discovery of Hidden Treasures

Saturday 17th November, 2012 - Sunday 13th January, 2013

Price: Admission Free

Journeys East showcases beautiful works of art made by 60 individuals from the ages of 3 to 80+ from East Ham, Peckham, West Hampstead and West Ealing. The exhibition is the outcome of a unique community project brought to you by the Wallace Collection supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund. Project participants include women and children from Newham Family Leaning Services, West Hampstead Asian Women’s Group, Aaina Women’s Group and West Ealing Deaf Women’s Minority Group.

This remarkable exhibition celebrates the refurbishment of the Wallace Collection’s much adored East Galleries which are home to Dutch masterpieces including Rembrandt’s Self Portraitin a Black Cap, Jan Steen’s Celebrating the Birth and Caspar Netscher’s The Lace Maker.

Between January 2011 and October 2012, project participants have been introduced to these beautiful Dutch paintings and have explored the legacies of the Dutch Republic, the Dutch Golden Age and the Dutch East India Company. Contributors to Journeys East have responded to these historic subjects through creating an impressive and gorgeous array of collages, silks, and ceramics based on the themes of ‘Spice’, ‘Journeys’, ‘Treasures’, ‘Identity’ and ‘Inside/Out’. Project participants have also curated the exhibition through designing the display and interpretation of their wonderful works of art.

An exciting programme of events will accompany the exhibition including themed talks and tours led by project participants, family and adult art workshops and ‘A Day in the Seventeenth Century!’ which will take place on Saturday the 12 January and will include costumed performances of Rembrandt’s Jean Pellicorne and Govaert Flink’s The Young Archer.

For more information about the project please enjoy this film documenting participant's visit to the Wallace Collection.